Audi previews next-generation A3 hatchback

When it does hit showrooms sometime next year, however, the next-gen A3 is expected to be offered first with a tailgate before a trunked version comes along – the three-door model leading the five-door, then the sedan and finally the soft-top convertible.

The news comes along with a trio of sketches released by Audi to the British motor press alongside those of the R8 GT Spyder. The renderings depict the three-door hatchback, the four-door sedan and the cabin of the next-gen A3 production model, which is tipped to be even more diverse in its engine offerings than it is in its bodystyles: expect gasoline, diesel, natural gas, hybrid and full electric versions to be rolled out in succession.

The cabin, meanwhile, is tipped to feature the latest technologies, including Audi's MMI controller and a pop-up infotainment screen. Look for the production 2013 A3 – in one body form or another – to debut in Geneva next March, a year after the sedan concept we saw there last month.